Mary GrandPré is a hard working artist. Her work as an illustrator is very well known. Search her name on Google. It quickly reveals that she illustrated the “Harry Potter” novel series and other children’s classics – and also created conceptual art for “Antz,” “Ice Age,” and other animated films. That artistic path is familiar to the world. But GrandPré loves the road less traveled. Abstract painting is her new artistic direction. In the following conversation, she reveals what led her down that path.
“Conjuring the Backstory” showcases your new series of mixed-media abstract paintings at Art Center Sarasota. What “backstory” are you talking about?
The backstory of the paintings. Each piece evolved over a long process. I’d create one painting, and then paint another on top of it, and keep going layer by layer. So, there are really many layers of paintings beneath the surface. In the final version, I’ll go beneath the surface. I’ll gently remove layers by sanding or tearing away the collage papers I’ve applied. Revealing the different layers below the painting’s surface allows the viewer to witness its rich history. It’s almost like creating a scar to expose the artwork’s past.
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Technically interesting. It’s kind of like art as an archaeological dig. Did you start out this series with that idea in mind?
No, it happened spontaneously on my first painting. I liked the “archaeological” result, and used the same technique for the rest of the series. For me, the result was a revelation. It made me realize these paintings were like people.
Why?
Because every individual has a backstory – layers of personal history beneath the surface. That’s usually hidden – and we judge other people by what we can see. If we could see each person’s history – all the layers and scars beneath the surface, we’d appreciate them more. These paintings reveal what’s beneath their surfaces. They tell their own story. Each person has a story, but not everyone reveals it. Sometimes, you have to find out. I hope the viewer will make the connection.
Can an abstract painting tell a story?
I believe so. Abstract colors and shapes might evoke a figure, a face or an emotion. Whatever it is, some element in the painting resonates. You relate to it somehow. Something inside you clicks, and you feel something – a memory or a flood of free association. That’s the storytelling I mean. It’s very different from the storytelling of an illustrator. After 35 years, that was very familiar to me. But abstract painting is a new language for me – a whole new big playground. Instead of characters with faces, the elements are abstract shapes. That’s still unfamiliar to me. I’m constantly exploring and searching – how do the shapes and colors relate? What will I see in them? What will the viewer see? These two rectangles – could they be two figures talking? So that’s how I tell a story in my abstract work.
Ideally, what do you want the viewer to take away from your exhibition?
I’d say an appreciation for the way abstract art can spark new ideas, memories, and an exciting hint of mystery. I want the viewer to have a conversation with each of my pieces. Ideally, they should have two conversions. The loud conversation is what you see from across the room. The quiet conversation is when you walk up close to the painting and see the layers and the details.
Is your creative process the same for fine art and illustration? Or is your artistic brain working in entirely different ways?
I’ve been asking myself that question for the last few years. As an illustrator, I knew exactly what I was doing. When I started painting, I had to throw a lot of that knowledge out the window, because I didn’t want to paint representationally. But some of the knowledge still applies. As an illustrator, you have to design each image, and think about color, composition, contrast, and so on. The basic principles are still the same with abstraction.
Right. Form is form; composition is composition.
Yes – but the approaches are radically different. With illustration, you know where you’re going. It’s all about the final product. You show rough sketches to art directors and marketing people, tweak the image, get approval, stay on track, and deliver the illustration you promised. Abstract painting has much more exploration. I don’t know where I’m going – or what the final product will look like.
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I understand you’re married to another artist – Tom Casmer. Do you push each other to higher artistic achievements? Or is it like two cooks in a small kitchen?
The first option. In 2019, we did a show together at Gaze Modern. We realized how much we inspire each other. He works with wood sculpture, which is a totally different medium. It’s three-dimensional art, but he first plans it out on a precise mechanical drawing. Tom’s work is amazingly fresh and wonderful, but he always knows where he’s going. With my paintings, I never know where I’ll end up. Despite our different mediums, we share the same aesthetic and values. We bounce ideas off each other and depend on that feedback. Living with somebody else who creates art for a living is a whole lot of fun!
You illustrated and co-wrote two children’s books with your husband. Are future artistic collaborations on the horizon?
Yes, but probably not illustrations. But we’d love to do more shows together. We talk about concepts all the time. Our latest idea is for a show called “Marriage Therapy” or maybe just “Therapy.” But we’d love to do something together. The art we share keeps us young and close as a couple.
Do fine art and illustration compete for your creative energy?
No. Right now, nothing’s competing with my fine art work other than life. I’m not doing any more illustration. I’ve basically retired as an illustrator.
wow. I guess that’s news to me … Why’d you decide to retire?
I knew that I wasn’t happy as an illustrator. Everyone assumes “Harry Potter” was the highlight of my art career. The truth is, the abstract art I’m creating right now is the highlight. This is the happiest I’ve ever been in my artistic life. That’s one reason. It’s also because I’m no spring chicken. I’m not willing to share the creative time I have left creating art that I don’t enjoy anymore.
Why didn’t you enjoy illustration?
Because it wasn’t filling me up as an artist. I realized I was just taking orders and drawing what other people were writing about. That may sound shallow. But I wanted to create pictures that made me happy. I didn’t know what that would be at first. I just knew it wasn’t illustration.
What led you to abstract painting?
I was sitting at the table with my husband, Tom – another artist who understood me. I said, “I’m not happy doing illustrations. I need to do something else, but I don’t know what it is.” He told me to keep looking, and I did. I discovered an online course on abstract painting. I decided to try it. What the hell – why not? So I took the course. The more I learned about it, the more excited I became – and the less I wanted to be an illustrator. Once I began creating my own work, I knew I had to stop illustrating and devote my time to abstraction. A lot of people might think it’s easy, but it isn’t. You’re not just splashing paint around. Doing good abstract work demands a daily focus. It took all my energy, creative energy to do that. I didn’t have time to illustrate anymore.
I get it. But you’ve had an illustrious career as an illustrator. A lot of people might be surprised that you’ve stepped away.
Safe. But if you’re not having fun, what’s the point? I started illustrating a long time ago. All I wanted to do was make a living by creating art. Illustration made as possible. That’s great, you know? It worked for a while, and I was happy for a while. But I’m not a creature of habit. I’m spontaneous. I love making art that surprises me – and goes off in a direction I’d never imagined. Illustration work hates surprises and demands predictability. As an artist, I want to get up in the morning, mix things up and try new directions. That’s why I stepped away.
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Are you game for a few “Harry Potter” questions?
I’m game. I know people want to hear about it.
How on earth did you land the “Harry Potter” illustration gig?
I was a freelance illustrator, and I’d done a few children’s books. David Saylor from Scholastic Publishing liked my work, so he called me one day. He asked if I could illustrate these three “Harry Potter” books. I didn’t immediately jump for joy. (The “Harry Potter” series started out as a trilogy – and it wasn’t that big a deal yet.) I told him I was super-busy; I don’t think I’ll have the time. He asked me to please just look at the story and decide then. I said OK, and he sent me the manuscript. I liked the story – and related to the vulnerable, mistreated boy living under the stairs. So I called him back and said, “Yes, I’ll find space in my schedule and take the job.” I had no idea the “Harry Potter” series would blow up to the global phenomenon it would become.
What was the creative process behind your “Harry Potter” illustrations?
I’d receive each new manuscript, read though the story, and highlight visually descriptive passages that offered good material for illustrations. Once my concepts were approved, I’d sketch out various ideas for the book cover and chapter art. I’d send my favorite sketches to the editors, who’d narrow it down to a final selection, which I’d then turn into finished art for publication. As the Internet was still in its infancy, this meant FedEx trucks delivering physical manuscripts and art. The whole process was all very hush-hush and secretive. I had to lock the manuscripts in safes and sign confidentiality agreements.
Did JK Rowling give you any input during this process?
We’ve put. But we didn’t collaborate.
If you don’t mind my asking, does the author’s stance on gender issues affect your enjoyment of her fantasy world?
No. I separate my view of JK Rowling’s politics from my love of her fiction. Some of her views are unfortunate, and that’s sad. But she’s still a good writer. If I rejected the work of every artist, musician and visual artist with wrongheaded opinions, there’d be little left for me to enjoy.
What’s next for you in your art?
I love exploring new territory in my paintings. I’ve investigated color in this series; my next series might have a limited palette – or be totally monochromatic. So, what’s next for me? I want to go where I’ve never gone before. I want to create something new. What will be, I can’t say. Creatively, I’m drawn to parts unknown. I don’t know what I’ll find there – and that’s what’s so exciting for me.
Mary GrandPre: ‘Conjuring the Backstory’
Through Nov. 26; Artist Talk: 5:30 p.m. Nov. 3 (Registration: $5). Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-365-2032; artsarasota.org
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